Susan Bosher & Kari SmalkoskiEnglish Department, The College of St. Catherine

Published: 2001 by The American UniversitySt. Paul, MN

From needs analysis to curriculum development:

designing a course in health-care communication for immigrant

students in the USA

ESL students enrolled in the Associate of Science degree at the College of St. Catherine in Minneapolis

Students not succeeding academically

“Identified through the needs analysis” (Bosher and Smalkoski, 2002, p. 66).

Typically, “students have completed high school, even college in their native country, and have been in the USA an average of 5 years” (Bosher and Smalkoski, 2002, p. 67).

Students Involved

AssertivenessUnderstanding and

communicating with clients

Asking for clarification Step by step proceduresCharting and

documentation Internal issues- worry,

forgetting, embarrassmentCultural issues- eye

contact, voice level, small talk, etc.

Listening carefully

Student Needs/Struggles

1 credit class titled:

Speaking and Listening in a Health-Care Setting4 Units:

Assertiveness- “Gets point across without offending” (Bosher and Smalkoski, 2002, p. 69).

Therapeutic communication-”Encourages client to express feelings” (Bosher and Smalkoski, 2002, p. 69).

Information-gathering techniques- to gather an abundance of information

Role of culture in heath-care communication- “Cultural knowledge, values, and assumptions” (Bosher and Smalkoski, 2002, p. 70).

Course Creation

Objectives- to identify, define, generate, demonstrate and distinguish communication techniques Distinguish between passive,

aggressive and assertive communication

Understand and identify cultural knowledge

Understand and demonstrate nonverbal communication

Through the use of: Models, textbooks,

presentations, converting closed questions to open questions, videotapes, role-play, discussions, and journal writing

Course Break-Down

Student evaluationsRole play most usefulStudents felt they

learned“This is the only class so

far that discussed about issues of communication in health care” (Bosher and Smalkoski, 2002, p. 69).

Conclusions